


Things You Said Too Quietly

by OwlosaurusRex



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-26 10:27:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3847489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwlosaurusRex/pseuds/OwlosaurusRex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wrote this a while ago for a prompt on tumblr but I kept losing it so I wanted to put it here with the rest of my Evil Within stuff. I actually like this one, so there you go.</p>
<p>here's the original for faikitty <br/>(http://owlosaurusrex.tumblr.com/post/113151716994/for-faikitty-who-suggested-a-joseb-prompt-things#notes)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things You Said Too Quietly

Sebastian stared up at the pale gray ceiling of Joseph's little studio apartment. It was smooth, vast, the same ceiling he'd seen every other time he'd been here and yet he'd never seen it quite like this before. He lay back in warm blankets and rumpled sheets,  with Joseph's cat nestled between the pillows by his head and an indescribable warmth that went beyond the body of his partner lying against him, tangled up tight. Sebastian had never seen this ceiling, never seen this bed or this man whose head rested against his shoulder. They were all decidedly new to him.

Sebastian looked down from the ceiling at Joseph who slept soundly against his skin. Joseph's breath tickled at Sebastian's chest and the arm draped over his stomach felt heavy but comforting. Joseph was ruffled, hair mussed and tangled and soft skin marred by dark marks and a lingering flush that still colored his cheeks. Sebastian had never seen him like this before and hadn't thought that this Joseph existed under his usual professional facade or beyond the quiet, thoughtful Joseph he'd known outside of work all of these years. Perhaps he'd known this Joseph all along but chose not to see him, like he'd chosen not to see himself.

Sebastian sighed and shifted slightly, drawing his hand up the gentle curve of Joseph's back, and the simple touch coaxed a soft sound from Joseph's lips. It was a sound of contentment and comfort and something Sebastian wanted to hear more of, so he smoothed his hand back down and hummed with a curious sense of satisfaction when Joseph curled closer to him. How did they end up like this? And sober too.

It hadn't been their intention, hadn't even been on their minds when they left the precinct earlier that night for a late meal at some local diner. They often ate together like that, thanks to Joseph's prodding, and this time hadn't been any different.

Joseph had suggested it when they'd missed lunch due to the heavy traffic coming back from an interview and Sebastian hadn't thought much of it. Greasy diner food and a beer or two (under Joseph's close supervision, of course) wasn't out of the ordinary, and they'd treated it as any other day. They chatted about their caseload, made plans for further interviews, and Sebastian had even brought up the new secretary who had been trying to catch Joseph's eye, and they'd both settled into a lazy comfort that felt oddly like "home". Even when they weren't speaking the feeling persisted and Sebastian felt as though he might be able to relax a little. And he had, they both had.

That comfort, that relaxation, was so beautiful. Sebastian hadn't felt this at ease since the accident and there wasn't any real reason for him to feel that way, it was just another night like however many others they'd shared, and yet it felt different.

Something changed in the short car ride from the diner to Joseph's apartment and when Joseph didn't get out of the car right away Sebastian didn't complain. He liked this feeling. He hadn't been "home" in so long that he didn't want to let it go so quickly. He wanted to hold onto it as long as he could.

Joseph invited him up. It wasn't their usual arrangement but it wasn't unusual either and Sebastian didn't question it. They hadn't spoken as they mounted the stairs and that peculiar feeling started to grow heavy. It was warm and made Sebastian oddly aware of his heartbeat and the single lock of black hair that fell into Joseph's face when he looked down to unlock his door.

The apartment was dim and Joseph didn't turn on the lights when they walked in. His keys were placed on the table and his gloves were removed with great care, one finger at a time. It was such a simple task and yet it was so _captivating_.

That feeling, It buzzed in the back of Sebastian's brain and grew thicker in the dark studio apartment until it solidified between them, a warm and quiet entity that fed on the soft sounds of their breathing and the look in Joseph's eyes when he turned to his partner. That feeling was something that grew warmer, burned between each breath and whose quiet presence had been there all along. Perhaps they'd noticed it before but hadn't acknowledged it. They'd managed to deny it, ignore it, tuck it away beneath their work and friendly dinner outings but it was undeniable then, when Joseph came closer and Sebastian welcomed him.

The first kiss was an accident. The second was on instinct. The third was as honest as any man could ever be. The feeling took them both, dropped the coat from Sebastian's shoulders, opened Joseph's shirt, and melted them together in a blur of blue sheets. Joseph sighed his name and Sebastian was lost.

Sebastian closed his eyes and listened to the soft sound of Joseph's breathing, the rumble of a car driving past on the street below, and his own steady heartbeat. He didn't know what this was or why he didn't _care_ what this was and when he opened his eyes again he tilted his head to rest against Joseph's. Joseph stirred, smiled, and drew his hand up over Sebastian's chest with a low pleasant sound.

"Seb." Joseph sighed his name again, the sound too soft, too easy and perfect, and everything Sebastian shouldn't want from his partner--from his friend. Sebastian watched Joseph shift, felt his legs curl between his own and wondered if they would ever untangle this knot they'd made. Joseph mumbled something more and Sebastian kissed his temple.

"What's that?" Sebastian's voice was rough with sleep and a peculiar satisfaction. He combed his fingers through Joseph's hair and won another mumble or two that made it difficult for him to think.

"Joseph..." Sebastian kissed his hair, his temple, down to his ear and breathed that odd inescapable feeling deep into his lungs. It all seemed so simple now.

"Stay just like this, Joseph. Just, stay here with me."

"Hmm?" Joseph struggled to rouse himself enough to hear and his eyes roamed beneath his lids.

Sebastian felt a sudden pressure, a realization far too heavy to carry on his own and too delicate to handle. He combed his fingers through Joseph's hair again and Joseph managed to peek an eye open.

"Don't leave me." Sebastian felt the weight crushing down harder and harder on his chest and his heart pounded loudly in his ears. "I love you, Joseph." The words left him on a breath, burned his tongue, and were lost in the hazy morning glow and the feeling of hands against his chest.

"Hmm?" Joseph frowned, tried to piece Sebastian's words together but ultimately sunk back down into sleep. He wiggled and readjusted, rolling away from Sebastian and groping at the blankets to pull them up over his shoulders. "Mmm, in the morning." He mumbled.

Sebastian looped his arms around him and held him tightly.

"All right, Joseph, In the morning." He whispered and smiled against the nape of Joseph's neck.

Joseph didn't seem to hear him but it didn't matter. The words were there and so were they, curled up together in impossible ways with hearts beating too quietly for the world to hear.


End file.
